RUN DOWN BY AN ENGINE
John K. TROYER, of this city, meets a horrible death. Being a Deaf
Mute, he did not hear the approaching train, and was ground to pieces.
John K. TROYER, a deaf mute, son of A. B. TROYER, of 120 North
Smith street, was killed by the cars near Galena, Illinois Saturday. A
Galena special to the Chicago Inter Ocean gives these particulars of
the tragedy.
"A stranger, supposed to be J. K. TROYER, of Kokomo, Indiana, was
struck by an Illinois Central locomotive today near Galena, and
instantly killed. The man, a respectable looking, well dressed
stranger, evidently without means for traveling expenses, was walking
eastward. He is thought to have been deaf and did not realize the
danger he was in, for the engineer of the train gave the usual
warnings. His mangled body was picked up and awaits the arrival of the
coroner at the station. Letters were found in his pockets addressed to
him at Park Rapids, Mich., dated Kokomo, Ind., and signed "Kate
TROYER." He was evidently about forty years old."
The family in the city were notified of his death by a telegram
from the coroner received by Miss Kate TROYER, a sister. The father
left Saturday night for Illinois after the remains of his son. TROYER
left home in the early part of last August and had been working in
Minnesota log camps since that time. He had written to his relatives in
this city frequently, recently writing that he expected to come home
before long. He was possibly on his way home when the accident happened
which caused his death.
His absence from home was not unusual as for several years he had
been in the habit of leaving home for several months at a time, taking
his departure without saying anything to the family about it. He would
have been thirty years of age next month. Although deaf he could talk
well and was also able to understand any one speaking to him by the
motion of their lips. With a good common school education and a very
strong constitution he was amply able to care for himself.
It is not known just when Mr. TROYER will return with the remains
of his son, and for that reason the time of his funeral cannot be
announced. A distressing incident is that his sister, Mrs. GRAU, who
lives east of the city, cannot be with her mother and sisters on
account of diphtheria in her own family.